Textile machine



1933. I w. s. TANDLER' ET AL 2,136,090

TEXTILE MACHINE Filed Oct. 2, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTO S mimia ATTORNEYS Nov. s, 1938.

TEXTILE MACHINE Filed Oct. 2, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 E INVEhggRS I "B 1 M [hmM' 04 ATTORNEY5 w; s. TANDLER ET AL 1933' w. s. TANDLER ET'AL 2,135,090

TEXT ILE MACHINE Filed Oct. 2, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEYS Nov. 8, 1938. v w. s. TANDLER ET AL TEXTILE MACHINE Filed Odt. 2, 193a 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 alf MM ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 8, 1938 I UNITED STATES TEXTILE MACHmE William S. Tandler and George Fisher,

N. Y., assignors to Leiier Patent Company,

New York,

Inc.,

a corporation of New York Application October 2, 1936, Serial No. 103,640 18 Claims. (Cl. 139-55) This invention relates to control apparatus used for controlling the operation of a machine having a plurality of parts to be selectively actuated, an example of such a machine being a loom for the weaving of figured fabrics in which the warp threads are manipulated by the heddles in accordance with a pattern to produce the desired design on the fabric. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a novel apparatus of .the electro-mechanical type which may be employed for both selecting and operating the parts requiring selective actuation. While the inven tion may be employed in connection with the machines of various sorts, it affords special advantages when employed in connection with a; loom, and an embodiment of the invention for that particular purpose will, accordingly, be illustrated and described in detail for purposes of explanation, although it is to be understood that the utility of the invention is not limited to that specific adaptation.

When used for controlling the operation of a loom, the new device makes useof a pattern sheet carrying a representation of the design to be reproduced and it includes devices for operating the heddles selectively, these devices being controlled by mechanism which scans theppattern sheet. The apparatus thus takes the place of a Jacquard mechanism and obviates the necessity of preparing a set of punched cards for each type of fabric to be woven. The use of the new apparatus consequently simplifies and reduces the cost of manufacturing patterned fabrics to an important extent.

The principles of the invention may be employed in various types of apparatus, but in all forms, the mechanism includes selectively operated control members which are connected to the parts to be controlled and actuating means cooperating with the control members to cause actuation of the selected parts. When the apparatus is used on a loom, 'the pattern control mechanism includes a plurality of control and operating devices, one for each heddle or group of heddles to be actuated in unison, and each such device includes a control member connected directly to the heddleor group of heddles. The control members are" selected by selector elements, one for 'each'control membeig these selector elements being selectively operated under the control of mechanism scanning the pattern sheet. In one form of the apparatus, upon the selection of the selector elements, the selected elements are brought into engagement with their respective control members and thereafter preby a bar vent movement of those members in one direction. The members so engaged by their elements are then actuated to pull upon and thereby raise the heddles connected thereto, while the remaining control members which have not been engaged by their selector elements are moved down so as to lower their corresponding heddles. In another form of the apparatus, the selector elements operate as above described, but after the control members have been selected and restrained, the heddles of the restrained members are pulled to raise their warp threads, while the heddles attached to the unrestrained control members remain in their initial positions. 1

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying draw ings, in which Figures 1 and 2 are vertical sectional and fragmentary top plan views, respectively, of one form of the apparatus;

Figures 3 and 4 are enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional views of parts shown in Figure 1, illustrating the parts at different stages in the operation of the apparatus;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure l of a modifiedform of the apparatus; and Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Figure 5, but showing the parts at a diiierent stage of the operation.

Referring now to the drawings, the apparatus is illustrated in Figure l in a form appropriate for use in connection with a loom, and it includes a pair of upright supporting members Ill mounted in any convenient manner, as by being attached to the side frames of. the loom. Mounted in the members l0 and extending across the loom abovethe warp threads is a support H for a plurality of control members l2 provided with armsl3 and I4 lying at opposite sides of the support. The support preferably has the form of a spindle provided with a plurality of closely spaced circumferential grooves and each control memberismounted in one of the grooves and is free to swing about the spindle as an axis.

The heddle, i5 or group of heddles to be controlled by each control member is directly attached to the arm l3 thereof, and the arms I3 of the control members are normally supported I6 whichis mounted in arms I! of a pair of levers I8 journaled on the spindle II at opposite ends thereof and near the up rights 10. Each lever i8 is provided with a second arm l9 to which is connected one end of a spring 20, the other end of the spring being attached to a fixed part of the structure, such as a cross-bar 2| extending from one support I9 to the other. The arm l9 of each lever I8 is also provided with a pin 22 straddled by the legs of a pair of forks 23, 24 at the ends of links 25, 26, respectively, these links being attached to cranks 21, 28, respectively, mounted on a rotating shaft 29 journaled in the supports l0.

Near the ends of the spindle arms 30 are journaled thereon, and each of these arms has a slotted guide-way3l in which a block is movably mounted, the blocks being connected by a knife bar 33 extending across the loom. Each block 32 is connected by a link 34 to an arm 35 on the adjacent lever l8, and each arm 30 is connected by a strap 35 to a stop member 31 which is connected by a slot and pin connection 38 to the arm I 9 of the adjacent lever l8. The strap 35 leading from arm 30 to stop member 31 passes swing on its pivot so that one of a pair of studs 54 on the hammer engages one of the selector elements and swings it on its spindle 42 to bring its hook 43 in position in front of the projection 44 of its associated control member. The ener- 5 gization of electro-rnagnet 502: causes the hammer 49 to swing in the opposite direction and strike and swing the selector element in position to be acted on so that its hook is moved out from in front of the projection on its associated control member.

The pattern and'scanning mechanism used for controlling the supply of current to the electrcmagnets 50a, 50b may take various forms as, for example, the scanning mechanism may be of the photo-electric "or direct contact types, ch as are disclosed in the copending' application of Fisher, Tandler, and Carlisle, Serial No. 92,112,

about a roller 39 loosely mounted on a shaft 40 filed July 23, 1936. For purposes of explanation, jou'rnaled in suitable bearings in the frame mema scanningmechanism of the direct contact type 20 hers "I, and the stop member 31 is provided with is illustrated in the present drawings, and the ment, all of the warp an abutment 31a, which normally seats against a fixed part of the frame, such as the crossbar 2|. r

With the arrangement described, the rotating shaft 29 acting through the cranks 21, 28 and the links 25, 26, causes the levers l8 to be rocked in a clockwise direction about the spindle H, the levers being restored to their original positions by the springs 20. In each clockwise movement of the levers, the arms |1 swing down, permitting the arms I 3 of the control members 2 to move down with the bar B. In such downward movethreads controlled by the heddles |5 would be lowered, and the selection of the warp threads to produce warp shedsis, ac cordingly, accomplished by re'straining'selected control members l2 and preventing them from taking part in the movement produced by the downward movement of the bar IS.

The selection of the control members is efl'ected by means of a plurality of selector elements 4|, one for each control member, mounted on a spindle support 42 mounted in the members In, the spindle having circumferential channels in which are seated the selector elements, which are of relatively thin sheet material. Each selector element is provided with a hook 43 which, upon appropriate movement of its selector element, can be brought in position to engage a projection 44 on its associated control member, this projection having a face substantially radial with respect to the axis of spindle II and to be engaged by its hook 43 and another face 45 which lies at an angle to the radial face. The selective operation of the selector elements is accomplished by means of an electro-mechanical actuating device generally designated 46 which is mounted on a carriage 41 moved back and forth across the loom on a rail 48 supported on the members I0 in any suitable way. 2

The actuating device 46 may take various forms, but in the construction illustrated, it includes a pivotally mounted hammer 49 whichserves as, or is attached to, the armature of a pair of electro-magnets 50a, 50b attached to the carriage 41. These electro-magnets are energized and deenergized alternately under the con trol ofa scanning mechanism, and each electromagnet is connected through its own supply lines 5| to an amplifying device 52 connected to a source of electrical energy by lines 53. As the carriage 41 is moved back and forth across the loom, the energization of electro-magnet 59a at any particular instant causes the hammer t0 tern sheet consists of a thin metal, such pattern sheet 55 used therewith has electro-conductive and insulating areas arranged thereon in accordance with the design to be reproduced in the fabric being wovena Preferably,

as sheet copper, and the background is bare whilethe fig ures of the design are formed of insulating material, such as paint or varnish. This'pattern sheet is attached at one end to a rotary support 30 56 which is rotated with a stepwise motion by means not shown during the operation pf the loom. A light current is supplied to the sheet in any suitable way, as by a line 51 connected through the amplifier to the source of energy, 35

and current is withdrawn from the sheet by. means of a scanning element 58 in the form of .a roller mounted on a spindle 59 supported in the carriage 41, the roller being pressed yieldingly against the sheet by a-spring 60 encircling the spindle. A line 6| leading from the spindle completes the circuit. 3

With the arrangement described, as the carriage moves backand forth across the loom, current passes through the circuit consisting of line 45 I 51, sheet 55, roller 58, and roller 5| whenever the roller is in contact with an electr'o-conductive portion of the sheet. The connections within the amplifier are such that when the circuit through. the pattern sheet is closed, amplified 50 current is supplied to the electro magnet 59a only,- energizing it and causing the hammer 49 toswing and move one or more selector elements 4| to effective position in which their hooks 43 lie in front of the projections on their associ- 55 ated control members. When the circuit is broken, by reason of the roller 58-resting upon an insulated area of the sheet, amplified current flows from the amplifier to electro-masnet 59b only, which then actuates the hammer and causes it to swing one or more selector elements to ineflective position in which their hooks are moved out from in front of the projections on their associated control members. In the event that the electroconductive or insulated areas on the pattern sheet are of such size that one or the other of the electromagnets remains energized for a period in which the device 45 is moved past a plurality of selector elements, these elements are engaged by one or the other of the studs on the hammer 49 and swung by cam action, the studs having a conical form,as shown, for this purpose. a I

At the beginning of the weaving operation, the Selector elements the pat- 25 are all in a position in which 7 their hooks are out from in front of the projections on their associated control members, and in the first traverse of the carriage across the loom,

certain of the selector members are selected and moved to effective position with their hooks in front of the projections on their associated control members. When the carriage has completed its traverse, the levers l8 are swung clockwise by the action of cranks 25, 26 and associated parts, and move the bar l6 down. The control members, whose selector elements have not been selected, then swing clockwise with the bar and r the heddles of those control members likewise move down. The control members, whose selector elements have been selected, move clockwisewith the downward movement of the bar It to a slight extent, until their projections are engaged by the hooks on their selector elements, after which those members are restrained against further clockwise movement with the bar It.

The clockwise movement of the levers [8 acts at once through links 34 to start the knife bar 33 moving inward toward the spindle II, but the parts are so constructed and the operation is so timed, that the edge of the bar does not pass inward beyond the ends of arms l4 of the control members until the arms l4 of those control members which are free to move down with bar l6 have risen above the plane of movement of the knife bar. Accordingly, as the bar moves in, it passes over the tops of the arms l4 of the control members which have been selected and restrained by their selector elements,. and beneath the ends of the arms l4 which have not been I selected and are to move with bar l6.

As the clockwise movement of the levers l8 and bar l6 continues, the pins 38 on arms IQ of the levers reach the upper ends of the slots in the stop members 31, and thereafter thearms 30 are swung downv or counter-clockwise by the straps 36 as the arms I9move clockwise or rise. The lost motion in the connections between the arms 30 and levers l8 permits the knife bar 33 to move in over the tops of the arms l4 of the control members which are to be restrained against movement with the bar l6, before the arms 30 are moved counter-clockwise by straps 36. Accordingly, when the counter-clockwise movement of arms 30 takes place, the knife bar engages the arms l4 of the control members referred to, and those members are moved counterclockwise on spindle ll. Accordingly, when the downward movement of the bar I6 is completed; certainof the control members have been swung clockwise and the remainder counter-clockwise. The heddles have thus been segregated into two groups with one group raised and the other lowered. This completes the shed.

The shuttle or needle is now passed through the shed, and at the same makes a return movement across the loom, during which the selection for the next shed is effected. In this selecting operation, the pattern may require that certain selector elements previously effective should be restored to ineffective position, andthe elements are freelymovable for that purpose since their associated control members have been swung counter-clockwise by the action of the knife bar 33. Other selector elements will then either be left in efiective position or be moved to effective position by the electro-magnetic actuating device. If any elements, which are to .be effective in the next operation, are associated with control members which were not previously selected and have been time, the carriage 41 moved down with the bar IS, the raising of the bar will cause those control elements to swing counter-clockwise and their projections moving I beneath the hooks of their associated selector element, would tend to swing those elements to ineffective position,unless such action were prevented.

To prevent the displacement of the selected elements in .the manner described, there is proided a spring plate 62 extending across the loom and carried by suitable supports 63 movably mounted in guide-ways in the members l0. Each support 63 is connected by a link 64 to an arm 65 fast on a shaft 66 mounted in the members I!) and provided withan arm 61 carrying a roller 61a bearing on a cam 68 fast on shaft 40. The cam action is so timed that, after the carriage 41 has moved across the loom and completed its selecting operation, the spring plate 62 is advanced toward the spindle 42, The plate is provided with spring teeth 62a, one for each selector element, and in the advance of the plate, these teeth pass beneath the ends of arms 4la on those elements which have been moved to effective position in the selecting operation. Thereafter, as the bar l6 raises the previously unselected control members and the projections on those members pass beneath the hooks of their associated selector elements, such of the elements as have been moved to effective position are raised by the projections, and this. causes the arms Ma of such elementsto move down against the spring fingers 62a. When the projections have passed behind the hooks, the spring fingers raise the arms 41a and this restores the selected elementsto effective position.

As the levers l8 and bar It start to return to their initial positions, the pins 38 move lengthwise in the slots in the stop members 31, and the arms 30 are given an initial clockwise movement by the weight of their heddles and warp threads, to take up the 10st motion in the connections. Thereafter, as the levers l8 swing counter-clockwise, the arms 30 swing clockwise at the same rate, and the knife bar 33 moves outwardly along the tops of the arms Just as the knife bar is freed from the tops of the ,arms 14, the arms l3 of the associated control members are engaged by the bar l6 and all the control members then remain in their common initial position until the bar l6 mov s down again. y

In the modified form illustrated in Figures and 6, the apparatus includes control members l2 mounted on aspindle l l and selectively restrained by selector elements 4| actuated by an'electromechanical device 46 mounted on a carriage 41 carrying the direct contact scanning element 58,

these parts being of the construction previously described. The arms. l3 of the control elements are directly connected to heddles [5 which pass over guide rods 69 and thence extend downward to the warp threads. Mounted on the spindle ll at the opposite ends thereof are bell crank levers [4 of the control members.-

of the carriage across the loom, certain 01' the selector elements II will have been moved to ward movement of the bar 1|, however, causes a pull on the heddles H of those control members which have been restrained by their associated selector elements, and this pull is sumcient to raise the heddles so that a warp shed is thereby produced.

As the shuttle or needle passes through the shed, the selector elements must be set up for the next shedding operation, and this necessitates that all the selector elements including those which have been eiiective, should be freely movable. The knife bar 11 is provided for this purpose, and as the levers I0 move down, the bar is moved inover the arms I of the control members I3 which have been restrained by their selector elements. The shape, of the under surface of the bar is such that in its inward movement, it forces the arms l4 downward to a slight extent and thereby moves the previously restrained control members clockwise to an amount suflicient to release the hooks of their associated selector elements. These elements may then be actuated by the electro-magnetlcally operated hammer in the-manner previously described. As the levers '80 rise, the knife bar TI is moved out from above the arms I 4 and frees these arms just as the bar H engages the arms l3 oi the respective control members. The parts are thereupon in their initial positions and the cycle of operations'is repeated. 1

In both forms of the apparatus described, it will be noted that the heddles of the control members which are selected and restrained by the action of their selector elements are raised so that their warp threads are moved into the upper part of the shed, and the warp threads controlled by heddles whose control members have not been selected remain in the lower part of the shed. In the construction illustrated in Figure 1, the two groups of warp threads segregated by the selecting operation are moved in opposite directions from their initial level position, while with the construction shown in Figures 5 and 6, only the warp threads which are to lie in the upper part of the shed are moved, and the remainder stay in their level position. The new apparatus thus takes the place of a Jacquard mechanism and eliminates the use both of a set-of punched cards and of the card barrel,,needles, hooked wires, and lifting apparatus of such a mechanism. The pattern sheet'employed with the new control carries a representation of the design which is to be reproduced, and since such a sheet can be made at much less cost than the set of cards which would be necessary with a Jacquard mechanism'to reproduce the pattern, the use of ,the new apparatus reduces the cost not only of the equipment, but also of operation in the weaving of figured fabrics.

We claim:

1. In apattern control mechanism i'or conthe combination of thereby,

trol member, means for trolling the operation 01' the heddles of a loom,

a plurality of control members connected directly to the heddles to be controlled thereby, means for actuating the'control members selectively to cause the heddles of selected members to be displaced to form a warp shed, and means for selecting the control members including a plurality .of selector elements, one for each control member, means for operating selected elements to render them efiective to prevent movement'of their respective members in one direction, and separate means for engaging and holding said respective members against movement in said direction.

2. In a pattern control mechanism for controlling the operation of the heddles of a loom, the combination or'a plurality of control members connected directly to the heddles to be controlled thereby, means for actuating the control members selectively to cause the heddles of selected members to be displaced to form a warp shed, and means for selecting the control members including a series of s'elector elements, one for each control member,;fmeans for operating selected elements to render them effective to prevent movement of their respective members in one direction, including an actuating device and means for causing a reative movement of the device and the series of selector separate means for engaging said respective members and preventing movement thereof in said direction.

3. In a pattern control mechanism for controlling the operation'of the heddles of a loom, the combination of a plurality of control members connected directly to the heddles to be controlled means for actuating the control members selectively to cause the heddles of selected members to be displaced to form a warp shed, means for selecting the control members including a series of selector elements, one for each conoperating selected elements to render them effective to prevent movement of their respective membersin one direction, including an electro-mechanical actuating device and means for moving said device along the series of selector elements, and separate means for engaging said respective members and preventing movement thereof in said direction.

4. In a pattern control mechanism for controlling the operation of the heddles of a loom, the combination of a plurality of control members connected directly to the heddles to be controlled thereby, means for moving the control members between two positions, a plurality of selector elements, one for each control member, meansfor operating said elements selectively to cause them to restrain their associated control members against being thus moved by said moving means, and means for moving said restrained control members between one of said positions and a third position. I z

5. In a pattern control mechanism, the combination of control members connected directly to the parts to be controlled thereby, means normally operating to cause a reciprocating movement of all said control members along one path, means for selecting the control members to receive such movement including selector elements, one for each member, said elements being operable to restrain their respective members against said movement, and means under the control of a pattern for actuating the elements selectively, and means for giving the restrained control mem-' the parts to be controlled thereby, means for moving the memberslselectively to secondary po-' sitions displaced from a common initial position of said members, including a support for the members movable to and from-one of said secondary positions, and means engageable with the members to move them to and from the other of said secondary positions, and means for controlling the operation of the moving means, including a pattern, a plurality of selector elements, one for each control member, movable to engage and restrain their respective members against movement to one of said secondary positions, and means under the control of the pattern for operating the elements selectively,

'7. In a loom, the combination of heddles, control members connected to the heddles to-be controlled thereby, and means for moving the control members selectively to secondary positions displaced from a common initial position 'to produce warp sheds, said means including a member movable with the control members to and from one of said secondary positions, a plurality of selector elements, one for each control member, movable selectively to engage their respective members and hold them against movement with the movable member, means under the control of a pattern for operating the elements selectively, and means for moving control members not held by their respective selector elements to and from the other of said secondary positions.

8. In a loom, the combination of heddles, control members connected to the heddles to be con trolled thereby, and means ,for moving the control members selectively to secondary positions displaced from a common initial position to pro-.- duce warp sheds, said means including an abutment member movable with the control members to and from one of said secondary positions, a plurality of selector elements, one for each con-' trol member, movable selectively to engage their respective members and hold them against movement with said abutment member, means under the control of a pattern for operating the elements selectively, and means connected to said member and operable'therewith for moving control members not held by their respective selector i elements to and from the other of said secondary positions.

9. In a. loom, the combination of heddles, control members connected to the heddles to be controlled thereby, and means for moving the control members selectively to secondary positions displaced from a common initial position to pro-,

duce warp sheds, said means including a support for said members movable with the members thereon to and from one of said secondary'positions, a plurality of selector elements one for each control member movable selectively to engage their respective members and restrain them against movement with the support, means under the control of a pattern for operating the elements selectively, and means for moving control members'not restrained by their respective selectorielements to and from the other of said secondary positions.

10. In a loom, the combination of heddles, control members connected to the heddles to be controlled thereby, and means for moving the control members selectively to secondary positions displaced from a common initial position to produce warp sheds, said means including a support for said members movable with the members thereon to and from one of saidlsecondary positions, a plurality of selector elements, one for each control member, movable selectively to engage their respective members and restrain them against movement with the support, means under the control, of a pattern for operating the elements selectively, and a bar connected to and movable with said support for movingcontrol members not restrained by their respective selector elements to and from the other of said secondary positions.

11. In a pattern control mechanism forcontrolling the operation of the heddles of a loom, the combination of a plurality ,of control members connectedto the heddles to be controlled thereby, means .for operating the control members'selectively and causing selected heddles-to be displaced to form a warp shed, and means for selecting the control members including a plurality of selector elements, one for each control member, engageable with their respective control members to restrain them against movement in one direction, a device movable relative to the selector elements and operable under the control of a pattern for actuating said elements to vmeans under-the control of a pattern for selectively operating said selector elements to cause them to perform their restraining function, and a member movable into engagement with said selected and operated elements and preventing displacement thereof by said control members during the movement of the latter.

13. In a pattern control mechanism, the corn- .bination of a plurality of control members mounted for swinging movement, each member having a pair of arms, means engageable with one arm of each control member and operable to cause movement of said members to and from a secondary position displaced from the common initial position of said members, means for selecting the control members to be moved by said moving means and including a plurality of selector elements, one for each control member, engageable with their respective control members for restraining them against movement to said secondary position, means for operating said selector elements selectively, and. means engageable with .the other arms of said control members and thecontrol members unretrolling the heddles of a loom, the combination of a plurality of freely movable control members .connected directly to the heddles to be controlled thereby, a plurality of selector elements one for each member, means operable to impart a movement to all the control members in unison, means for operating the elements selectively to restrain' their associated members from being moved by the operation of said moving means, and means independent of said elements for engaging the restrained members and preventing them from being moved by said moving means.

15. In a pattern control mechanism -for controlling the heddles of a loom, the combination of a plurality of control members mounted for movement and connected directly to the heddles to be controlled thereby, a plurality of selector elements, one for each member, operable to restrain their respective. members against movement, means for operating the elements selectively, means for moving the unrestrained control members, and a second means for engaging and restraining the control members previously restrained by said selector elements.

, one for each 16. A pattern control mechanism which comof movable control members connected respectively to the parts to be controlled thereb a plurality of selector elements, member, operable to engage and restrain their associated members, means for moving the unrestrained control members, means engaging the control members restrained by said selector elements and moving them to release said elements, and means under the control of a pattern for operating the selector elements selectively.

- be controlled thereby, a plurality of selector elements one for each and restrain their member operable to engage associated members, means .for moving the unrestrained control members,

means for engaging the restrained control members and moving them to release the selector elements therefrom, means under the control 01' a pattern for operating the selector elements selectively, and means engageable with selected elements for holding them in actuated position.

18 In; a pattern control mechanism, the combination of a plurality of control members, means for moving the control members in unison between two positions, a plurality of selector elements, one for each control member, said elements being engageable with their respective control members to restrain the latter against movement by said moving means, means for operating said selector elements selectively to cause them to perform their restraining function, and means engaging the selector elements so operated and holding them in restraining position.

WILLIAM S. TANDLER. GEORGE FISHER. 

